


Reluctant Renegade

by soprano_buddy15



Category: The Last Kingdom, The Last Kingdom (TV), The Warrior Chronicles | The Saxon Stories - Bernard Cornwell
Genre: Season 3, Spoilers for Season 3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:28:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25678117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soprano_buddy15/pseuds/soprano_buddy15
Summary: Sihtric's thoughts when he's in the Danish camp.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 12





	Reluctant Renegade

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Java_Blythe_Peralta](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Java_Blythe_Peralta/gifts).



> Hi everyone!
> 
> I was inspired to write this piece after listening to Morcheeba’s “Blood Like Lemonade,” which has the lyrics “Got made a reluctant renegade” and I really liked it. 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you all are having a good start to your August! Enjoy :)
> 
> Constructive comments are welcome! Just don’t be rude, because nobody wants that.

The wind seemed colder than usual. 

Perhaps it was just Sihtric’s imagination, but he still pulled his black fur tight around his shoulders. 

“We’ll be at the camp in a little bit,” said Dagfinn, noticing Sihtric’s movement. “Lots of ale and women to keep us warm.” He grinned, giving Sihtric a slimy smile.

Sihtric bristled at the comment, but chose not to reply. There was an uneasy feeling in his stomach. He knew that his betrayal of Uhtred was for show, to make Finan and Osferth think that it was real. 

He remembered the real fear that had jolted through him when Uhtred had threatened to kill him. When he had used his father’s name against him. 

Now, all he could think about was the look of horror on Finan’s face as Sihtric had said unkind words to his Lord. He had thankfully not seen Osferth before he left, but he knew that his friend would be shaking with fury. 

Uhtred’s plan was mad, but brilliant. It was playing off of what was around them, and that meant Sihtric’s fear of the curse. Even thought Uhtred had asked him to do this, he had been reluctant to agree. But it was his Lord. He had sworn an oath. 

He remembered the day he took his oath, how he had sworn on Thor’s Hammer that he would stay loyal to Uhtred and serve him until and beyond death. While he was faking his disloyalty now, that day hung heavy in his mind and he could not help but wonder if the gods knew their plan. 

The men around him were laughing boisterously at their good fortune. Uhtred had just lost one of his most trusted men, after all. They had horses and were on their way back to Cnut and Bloodhair’s camp. And like Dagfinn said, there was ale and women waiting for them. 

_Ealhswith,_ Sihtric shifted in his saddle, his heart heavy with the thought of his wife. It had been several months since he had seen her, and he knew that she had gone back to Winchester with their son. It hurt him that she felt the need to return, but without his pay from Uhtred there was nothing for her in Coccham to survive off of. 

“There’s the camp.” Sihtric was shocked out of his thinking by Dagfinn’s voice. The man was pointing down in the valley. 

Sihtric breathed sharply as he took in the size of the camp. There were hundreds of tents, with a large fence surrounding them. Many fires were burning, and the sound of drunken Dane’s laughter was floating up to him. 

“Dagfinn!” Haesten grinned wickedly as they rode into the camp. “Took you long enough to find your way back.”

Dagfinn dismounted and returned Haesten’s hug eagerly. “We were taken for a few days,” he explained after releasing him. He jerked his head in the direction of Sihtric. “But the Dane-Slayer had a rat in his household.”

Haesten turned his attention to Sihtric, a smile growing on his face as he recognized him. “You are the one who released them?” Sihtric gave a curt nod. “And why was that?”

Sihtric swallowed heavily. “Uhtred is mad,” he said, feeling reluctant. “He is obsessed with the curse that Skade placed upon him.”

“But the curse is on him, isn’t it?” Haesten asked, walking forward slowly. 

“It affects us all.” 

Haesten huffed in laughter, but it was dry as he glanced nervously back at Skade. She was standing at the mouth of the tent, her gaze dark and piercing on them. 

Sihtric shivered as her eyes fell on him. She narrowed her gaze, recognizing him, but said nothing. 

Haesten came up in front of him, blocking Skade from his sight. “At least you are here now,” he clapped Sihtric on the shoulder. “You will tell us everything.”

He really, truly, hated this. It was bad enough that Finan and Osferth believed that this was all real, but the glee that Haesten and Dagfinn took from his “betrayal”really dug deep into his gut. They truly believed that Uhtred was losing his mind, losing his men, and it made Sihtric worry for his brothers. 

Cnut and Bloodhair came up, and Sihtric felt a pang of anxiety rush through him as he saw Brida following closely behind. The last time he had truly been around Brida was when she put the rams head to block Skade’s powers as Uhtred healed. She was terrifying, her knowledge of curses and potions vast. 

She stopped when she recognized him, and immediately her eyes narrowed. It was in distrust, Sihtric knew that, but she still sat down around the fire with them. Haesten eagerly passed around mugs of ale and bits of meat to eat. 

He sat in silence as Skade and Brida stared each other down, exchanging words before Brida rolled her eyes and stalked off angrily. 

The men all laughed at her, but Sihtric stayed quiet. He knew that Brida was dangerous, and he had a proper respect for her. 

“You betrayed Uhtred,” Cnut said at last, and Sihtric turned to face him. “Why?”

Sihtric shrugged, but met Cnut’s gaze head-on. “Because he is losing men and losing his mind.” He said, trying to make Uhtred’s sound weak. 

“Will he come for my woman?” Haesten asked, placing his hand over Skade’s knee possessively. 

Sihtric bit his tongue at the slimy man. “He is afraid of the curse, Lord.” There. That that much was true. “He wants it gone.” Also true. 

He kept going. “Yes, he will come. I’m certain.” And here was the moment. “But he is not the warrior he once was.”

Cnut stood. “Maybe he’s more dangerous now.”

“More reckless, Lord,” Sihtric said quickly, trying not to sound panicked as Cnut moved off. “Unable to plan. That is why I am here.”

Skade looked at him curiously, but he avoided her gaze. He believed that she could see into his soul, and wanted to avoid her as much as possible. 

He excused himself and made his way across the camp to his tent. It was pitched a bit farther away from the others, and he quickly made up the small fire and spread out his roll of furs. 

This was risky. If he was found out at all…. He could hardly imagine what they would do to him. And his wife. His heart was heavy when he closed his eyes and nestled into the furs. Her face was bright agains his eyelids, and he remembered the quick kiss he had given her just before they left Winchester. He had promised that he would be home soon, and his son Sihtric had eagerly hugged him and said that he would look for him everyday. 

Sihtric took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. He was in the camp. He had made it past the first day. And now, he just had to keep up the lie, and he would be back with his brothers and his family soon.


End file.
